Rays Acquire Catcher Liam Hicks and Reliever Tyler Wells in Multi-Team Deals

The Tampa Bay Rays added catcher Liam Hicks from the Miami Marlins and right-handed reliever Tyler Wells from the Baltimore Orioles in a flurry of transactions. The Marlins received three minor-league prospects—right-handed pitcher Jacob Kisting and infielders Brayden Taylor and Adrian Santana—while the Orioles did not receive players in the Hicks deal. The moves followed the Rays’ acquisition of right-hander Freddy Peralta from the New York Mets in exchange for three prospects.

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Hicks, 27, posted a .282 batting average with a .363 on-base percentage and a .432 slugging line this season, hitting 14 home runs over 409 plate appearances. He walked in 9.8 % of his plate appearances and struck out in only 9.5 % of them, indicating strong contact skills. Wells appeared in 43 games this year, compiling a 2-2 win-loss record, four saves and a 2.67 earned-run average, according to sources cited by ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

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The Hicks trade arrived a day after the Rays secured Peralta from the Mets, signaling an aggressive approach to reinforce both the lineup and the bullpen ahead of the upcoming stretch of games. The addition of Wells complements a bullpen already bolstered by the earlier acquisition of Peralta, while Hicks provides a left-handed option behind the plate and a bat with a high contact rate.

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For the Rays, the combined upgrades aim to deepen roster depth and improve offensive production, particularly in the catcher position where defensive stability and left-handed hitting have been limited. Miami, by contrast, trades a major-league catcher for three prospects, suggesting a focus on rebuilding through younger talent. The Orioles’ involvement was limited to the Wells transaction, indicating a willingness to move a reliever for future flexibility. These coordinated moves reflect each club’s strategic priorities as the season progresses.

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